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" (No Model.)

' J. A.'SLEICHER.

SLEEPING GAR. v No. 281,410. I Patented July 17, 1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. SLEICHER, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

SLEEPING-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,410, dated July 1'7, 1883.

Application filed May 19, 1883. (N0 model.)

Tov all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, JOHN A. SLEIOHER, a resident of the city of Troy, in the county of Renssela'er and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleeping-Oars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact'description of the invention, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to improvements in sleeping-cars, and more particularly to interchangeable seats and berths therein; and it consists of an offset hinged to the back'of a seat-frame and supporting one side of another frame, which is adapted to be raised from a nearly-vertical position, in which it forms a seat-back, to a horizontal position, in which it forms a support for an upper berth.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide, in a sleeping-carhaving interchangeable seats and berths, a seat-back with a horizontal offset hinged thereto, and adapted to be turned up into a vertical position to support at its upper end or side an upper berth in a horizontal plane higher than the plane occupied by the topof the seat-back, second, the use of the upholstered portions of the seat and seat-back as supports for the upper berth.

My invention is an improvement upon the form of construction described in Letters Iatent No. 273,620, issued to me by the United States, March 6, 1883, to which reference may be had for a fuller description of my improved sleeping-car.

My hinged offset is fully shown by the single figure in the accompanying drawing, which is a longitudinal cross-section of a portion of my improved sleeping-car, showing a crosssection of two seats and an end elevation of another. v

A is a seat-frame having the back-support B and the offset F, hinged to the latter. The offset supports at its'opposite end or side the upper side of the upholstered seat-back G, to the lower side of which is hinged the upholstered seat-frame S.

M M are two mattresses, one for the lower and one for the upper berth.

D is a frame adapted to be folded down in the bottom of the seat, as shown in cross-section, or raised to a vertical position to support the upper berth, as shown in elevation. There may be two frames, one at each end of the seat.

H is a vertical sliding frame attached to the seat-backs, and serves, when up, as shown in the drawing, to divide the car into sectionsone for each seat.

The method of converting a seat into two berths is as follows: Raise the back G until the offset F assumes a vertical position, then withdraw the mattresses from the seat and raise the supports D to a vertical position beneath the seat and seat-back, as shown in elevation, then place one of the mattresses upon the seat and back, which lie in a horizontal plane, and we have an upper berth raised above the top of the seat-back frame B to a height depending upon the length of the offset. If the seat-back is raised to a horizontal plane level With the top of the seat-back frame, and in that position required to support the upper berth, I find that the seat-backs will be too high, and the appearance of the carwill bedis-v figured if I give the proper height to the upper berths but by hinging offset F to the back, which permits of raising the offset from a horizontal to a vertical position, I am able to secure the proper level for the upper berths without making the seat-back too high. It is also objectionable to use one of the berth-mattresses for a seat through the day and to sleep on it at night. I therefore provide the upholstered seat Sindependent of the'mattresses, said seat resting in a frame which is hinged to the seat-back, the latter being attached to the offset F, so that the seat and back may to mattress of the upper berth, as before de scribed. a

The seat-back G may be hinged to offset F, as shown or it may be rigidly attached thereto. The offset may be so hinged to the seat-back frame that it cannot swing below a horizontal I have shown seat S connected with movable seat-back G by hinge I, and the back G with plane, but freely swing up to a vertical one;

gether form the horizontal support for the the offset by hinge J, and the offset with stationary seat-back B by hinge K. The seats and berths extend transversely of the car. The seat S may have suitable supports upon the 5 seat-frame A, and may be detachable from the back G.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. I11 a sleeping-car provided with interchangeable seats and berths, an offset from the upper part of a seat-back frame and hinged thereto, in combination with a suitable support for an upper berth, attached to the swinging end or side of said offset, substantially as I 5 described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a sleeping-car provided with inter changeable seats and berths, an upper berth supported by a seat-back, G, hinged or otherwise attached to the seat-frame, and a seat, S, hinged to said back, said back being adapted to swing up into a horizontal plane and carry with it said seat, the latter adapted to rest upon suitable supports in the same horizontal plane with said back, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of May, 1883.

JOHN A. SLEIOHER.

Vitnesses:

GEO. A. MosHER, J OHN T. Boorrr. 

